


Get it Together

by FountainPen



Category: Paranatural (Webcomic)
Genre: Banter, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Like, M/M, Mutual Pining, Skating, after hitball, and then they become friends, bullymagnet - Freeform, in which max sits next to johnny because he gets bored, johnny gets into fights, lots of fluff, making a fire with wet twigs, max doesn't even realize he's pining at first, max falls off a building, oh my god there's so much dialogue, possessed!Max in later chapters, slowburn, spoilers but only if you're not caught up, these boys talk a lot, tinge of angst here and there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-04-16 13:01:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 16,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14165397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FountainPen/pseuds/FountainPen
Summary: It was a well known fact that Maxwell Puckett could not sit still for the life of him. In classes it was easy enough to keep his attention because of how flat out odd most of his teachers were, but there were times where Max’s mind would wander and he would get bored.So bored in fact, that he specifically sat next to someone who would ensure he was constantly entertained by stupid conversation, vague threats, and the occasional spitball.





	1. And it begins

It was a well known fact that Maxwell Puckett could not sit still for the life of him. In classes it was easy enough to keep his attention because of how flat out odd most of his teachers were (excepting Spender's. The amount of times Max got his bat taken away for magnetizing things over or away from his desk was borderline pathetic.), but there were times where Max’s mind would wander and he would get bored. And Mr. Starchman had been acting oddly normal for the past few days. Actually teaching without bouncing around and summoning woodland creatures into the room. Max was bored.

 

So bored in fact, that he specifically sat next to someone who would ensure he was constantly entertained by stupid conversation, vague threats, and the occasional spitball.

 

The first time Max purposefully sat down next to Johnny Jhonny, anyone who’d spent two minutes with the pair within shouting distance looked at Max like he’d grown an extra arm or two.

 

It ended with the both of them in detention for flinging pencils at each other and the other students for most of the class.

 

 Because the two were both in detention, they wound up taking a similar route home, at the same time.

 

“Heya nerd, why’d’you stray away from yer dork troupe in Starchman’s today?” Johnny asked “I thought you three were like the three Muskets or whatever.”

 

“I was bored I guess, and Izzy and Ed aren’t even in that class with us.” Max shrugged. “And it’s theThree Musketeers.”

 

“How the punch did’ya manage t’get bored in _Starchman’s_?”

 

“Dude he didn’t even do anything today, or yesterday, or the day before he just, actually taught things.” Max paused. “I think he might be sick.”

 

“I think it’s cos he’s been drinkin’ coffee instead of whatever that silver stuff is he usually puts n’is tea.” Johnny grinned. “So you sat next ta the Jang on purpose b’cause you were bored? That takes guts Mux.”

 

“I get bored really easy, it was worse when I still had the cast.”

 

“Speakin’ a which MVP, how’s yer arm doin?”

 

“It’s fine, I’ve already scaled my house and I’ve only had it off for a week.”

 

“Uh, cool.” Johnny said. They walked in a semi uncomfortable silence until Max saw his house.

 

“This is my stop dude, see you tomorrow?”

 

“Sure thing New kid, we have a pencil flingin’ score ta settle.” Johnny called over his shoulder.

 

The second time Max sat next to Johnny, everyone was uneasy. What chaos would these two cause this time?

 

Once again, to everyone’s surprise, Max and Johnny huddled in a circle whispering about ways to escape the class.

 

“The window?” Max asked.

 

“No way man, there’s no footholds and whatnot. Plus it’s too obvious.”

 

“Well what do you suggest genius?”

 

“Airvents.”

 

“My original statement about your genius was sarcastic but it’s true you’re a genius.” Max said.

 

“I know that, nerd.”

 

“But there’s one problem in your plan.”

 

“And what is that, smart guy?” Johnny rolled his eyes

 

“How would we get to them without inciting usage of The Noodle?”

 

“We would cause a big ol’ distraction. Aim a spitball at someone up front, and when they turn around ta see who’s askin for a fight-”

 

“Starchman will start interrogating each student until he finds who did it.” Max nodded.

 

“Egg-zactly.” Johnny said

 

“Okay, but do we have any idea how to actually navigate the vents?” One look at Johnny’s face said yes, he did know how to navigate the vents, and had before. Max didn't want to know. “So we’ve gotten through the vents, what next?”

 

“We take the winda in the lobby out, there’s a camera pointed at th’front doors.”

 

“And then we’re out, and are free to rob a bank.” Max joked.

 

“Sure, or we could go n’ swim in the lake, because it’s too hot fer that much excersize.”

 

Johnny threw a pencil at Max as class ended.

The third time Max sat with Johnny, no one batted an eye. This was becoming a pattern.

 

“Ill punch yer bald head.”

 

“Not if I land on your spiky one again-”

 

“I thought you two were friends?” Suzy asked, not so subtly pulling her pencil from behind her ear and grabbing her notepad from literally nowhere.

 

“We are?” Johnny said.

 

“We sit together, so sure I guess.”

 

“Can I still punch you?”

 

“If you can catch me you red weirdo.” Max replied.

 

Suzy visibly deflated as the conversation continued.

 

“I have an idea,” Johnny said.

 

“What is it, oh wise hothead.”

 

“I can still punch ya, but if anyone else- Jang excluded- tries to, they answer t’me.”

 

“Acceptable I guess.” Max paused. “And I guess you guys can come hang out at the store if you occasionally pay for stuff in non-bully funds.”

 

“Deal.”

 

“Speaking of which, you wanna stop by on your way home after detention?”

 

“I don’t even _have_ d’tention today.” Johnny rolled his eyes.

 

“Yes you do, because you have water balloons in your backpack and there’s a balcony on the second floor.” Max grinned. Maybe Johnny was a bad influence, but hey, Max was bored.


	2. Max Scales His House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max scales his house in an attempt to show off. Bad idea? Yeah. Chaos and bonding ensues via mud slides on Ollie.

After their detention, Max and Johnny arrived at the store damp but alive. The plan to drop water on a teacher was foiled when Max’s conscious caught up with him and he popped it on Johnny’s head, leading Johnny into an unfair water balloon fight. Max was great at dodging, but Johnny held him and popped it over his head for revenge.

Alright, before we go in’ta yer weird 7/11 house, I want proof you can scale it.” Johnny said.

 

“Fine, but I want proof you can punch a snake.” Max’s mind briefly flashed to an image of Johnny attempting to punch Scrapdragon, and he snorted, climbing the wall on his house.

 

From where Johnny was standing, Max looked like a spider, he climbed so fast, leaping from windowsill to drain pipe to windowsill, until suddenly a window in the attic was pushed inward by Max’s feet, and Max fell backward. Shock freezing his limbs as he plummeted toward the ground.

 

Johnny’s eyes widened and he lunged forward, catching Max just before he splattered on the pavement in front of Johnny.

 

“Hey ner- Max- you okay?” Johnny asked. Max was shaking. He nodded, and instead of setting him down- the guy was shaking like a leaf, there was no way he was walking anywhere. Johnny glanced up at the window, something purple was- no no time to see who (or what ) it was. Johnny ducked into the store.

 

“Hey Mr. Mux’s dad, I’m gonna kidnap yer son fr’a few hours.”

 

“Okay strange red child whom I have never seen- have fun Max, be back by seven!”

 

“Yer dad’s real cool Maxamillion. We’re gonna go chill in the Jang’s clubhouse.” Johnny told him.

 

“Y-you can put me down if you want dude.” Max said, realizing he’d been being carried around by Johnny for at least two minutes.

 

“Nah man, yr’legs are all jello-y.” Johnny said without hesitation. “You-you coulda got hurt bad dude, sorry for tellin’ ya to do it.”

 

“Comes with the job description, and it wasn’t your fault, I probably would have done it to show off anyways.” Max said. “Thanks for catching me.”

 

“Couldn’t let ya get squished in yer first couple’a weeks in Mayview nerd. We’re friends now.”

 

“I guess looking out for your jerk friends isn’t your sole redeeming quality- you’re a good catch.”

 

“ _What_?”

 

“You should join the baseball team.” Max talked aimlessly for the next ten minutes, shaking off the shakiness he’d earned from the fall.

 

“Well when yer done nerdmalouging, we’re at the Jang’s very own headquarters.”

 

“I’m honored.”

 

“Y’should be dork, not many a nerd have laid eyes on the place.” Johnny told him. The clubhouse itself was a large shed in a backyard a few blocks from Max’s house, the words ‘True Hearts Forever Boys’ were painted in red on the side, and christmas lights lit up the roof.

 

“It’s really cool dude- you can put me down also.” Max reminded him, but Johnny just ignored him and kicked in the door. The scuff mark where his foot landed was proof this was a regular entrance for the bully.

 

“FELLAS I BRING TIDINGS OF VIOLENCE AND THIS DORK THAT SCALED A BUILDIN’”

 

“Hey Johnny- why’d you bring the nerd?” Stephen asked.

 

“Because he scaled a building.”

 

“Why are you carrying him?” Ollie asked.

 

“Because he fell.”

 

/ _How_?/ RJ signed.

 

“A winda that he was usin’ opened.”

 

“Can I please be put down now?”

 

“Oh yeah- there ya go nerd.” Johnny set Max down, his legs still a little wobbly.

 

“Hi.” Max deadpanned to the roomful of Johnny’s friends.

 

“Alrighty folks, this dork’n I made a deal because that one sparkly girl called us friends.” Johnny told his friends. “WE can punch th’nerd whenever, but if anyone else picks a fight with ‘im they deal with me.”

 

“Also you guys can hang out at the store I live at as long as you don’t always pay for things with stolen from bully victims' cash.” Max told them.

 

“Cool, great, any oppositions?” Johnny asked. “No? Introduction time.”

 

“I’m Ollie,” Ollie said,

 

“Stephen.”

 

“And that’s RJ, they don’t speak unless it’s a special occasion. They have a backstory and everything.” Stephen told him.

 

“Cool.” Max said.

 

“So fellas, what’re we doin’ today?”

 

“We were planning on using Ollie as a sled down that one mud bank, you in nerd?”

 

“Sure, why not?”

 

* * *

 

 

Max and Johnny hung out a lot more, and when Johnny finally told Max about the weird purple things, Max had an explanation, which Johnny was grateful for.

 

And when Max finally told Johnny about his mom, Johnny had ice cream, a tissue and some movies, which Max was grateful for.

 

When Johnny punched that East Hill kid in the face for calling Max stupid, Max had a doctopus and some bandaids on hand., which Johnny was grateful for.

 

When Max fell out of that tree trying to win at hide and seek, Johnny caught him, and had a lecture about how fragile his nerd bones were, which Max was begrudgingly grateful for.

 

The Activity club was grateful for the fact that someone in the group knew how to handle Johnny’s fiery personality on the occasion he worked with them. Figuratively and literally. The first time Johnny caught fire (Someone at the Redfellow’s diner thought he and Max were a thing.) Max dumped his soda on Johnny’s head and laughed at him, complaining about the brightness of the flames. And when Johnny refused to work with Izzy’s grandpa when he requested they train for a few weeks over the summer, Max coerced him into compliance with promises of free Apple Thang’s and a movie at the theater.


	3. Climbing the Pine(ing) Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oblivious tween is informed of his feelings by friends, as non-oblivious tween informs friends of his feelings. Said friends team up to help tweens act on said feelings.

Over the course of their friendship, the Activity Club and the “Jang” merged, hanging out more and more. Izzy, Ed, Isaac, and Max worked to be better influences on Ollie, Stephen, RJ, and Johnny, who in turn tried to cause as much semi-violent chaos as possible.

 

Near death and near punishable by death situations drew the group closer together, and this was solidified by countless movie nights and trips to the lake. It also clued the groups in on obvious mushy feelings between two of their friends.

 

“So when exactly are you going to tell him?” Izzy said, plopping her lunch tray down next to Max, who was staring at his food. Johnny managed to get a lunch detention by speaking up when the substitute refused to use they/them pronouns for RJ. He, Max, Stephen, Cody, Izzy, Ed, and Ollie had after school detention for two weeks, but Johnny managed to snag a lunch detention. It left Max oddly lonely, even though all of his other friends were on their way or already at the table they usually sat at.

 

“What do you mean?” Max asked, crunching on some cafeteria ‘Mashed potatoes’.

 

“Dude, Johnny has missed thirteen days of school in the past eighteen months, and every time you look like a puppy that was drowned in tears.” Ed materialized behind Izzy.

 

“So what do you want me to tell him? That we’re friends?”

 

“I can’t tell if he’s being snarky of if he’s actually that stupid.” Izzy narrowed her eyes.

 

“I think he’s stupid.” Ed nodded. “That is genuine confusion.”

 

“What?”

 

“He’s pining and he doesn’t even know it.”

 

“ _What_?” Max shrieked, not at all like an eight year old girl. " _I am not pining_ \- I-"

 

“Ed, text Isaac he’s gonna lose it.” Izzy grinned.

 

“Will do.” Ed whipped out his phone.

 

“Now, Max, because you’re so emotionally detached, this will be hard to hear.” Izzy began. “But you look at Johnny middlename Jhonny like he hung the moon.”

 

“He regularly carries you in his arms.”

 

“You fell asleep on top of him in Spender’s car after we brought him to fight that one metal guy.”

 

“He caught on fire because you hugged him after we all almost died.”

 

“You looked like you were going to catch on fire when you took him to the movies that one time.”

 

“You _welded_ him things.”

 

“You are both pining so hard. It hurts _us_.”  Isabella finished.

 

“I- _I am not-_ he- I-” Max spluttered, face burning.

 

“Max, you’re pining.” Ed told him.

 

“So when are you gonna tell him?”

 

“No?” Max tried.

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Izzy asked.

 

“Well saying ‘never would confirm your wild accusations, so No.”

 

“You literally just confirmed it with that statement.” Ed told Max.

 

“C’mon, no time like the present?” Izzy asked him as Max put his head onto the table.

 

* * *

 

 

“Johnny.”

 

“Johnny.”

 

Ollie and Stephen could not get Johnny to answer, because he was staring aggressively at the wall while occasionally sparking and smoking from his hair and arms. The Jang thought it was flipping sweet that they had bonfire for a friend, but this was getting worrying.

 

“Johnny?” RJ tried. Emotionally supporting friends is the most metal thing you can ever do. Johnny finally turned eyes narrowed and pointed at the floor in concentration. It was midnight at Ollie’s house.

 

“Guys.” He said.

 

“What’s up dude, you okay?” Ollie asked.

 

“I do believe I’ve got’n myself a code Swingset.” Johnny told him, still staring at the ground.

  
“Oh yeah, we figured.” Stephen said.

 

“ _What_?”

 

“Johnny you look at Max like he painted the sky.” RJ told him. Metaphors are also metal.

 

“You regularly carry 'im in your arms.”

 

“You broke into his house at four in the morning because you missed him.”

 

“He let you stay even though you broke into his house at four in the morning.”

 

“You _caught on fire_ when he hugged you.”

 

“He took you to the movies.”

 

“You fought four East Hill thugs on your own, because one punched him.”

 

“You’ve been pining for a while bud, and so has he.” RJ finished.

 

“I hate that.” Johnny said. “I can’t punch _feelings.”_

 

“Well, you can act on em’” Stephen announced. “We’ve got your back you short lovesick fool.”

 

“I’ll pummel you, ya giant freakazoid.”

 

“After we help you kiss kiss fall in love.”

 

“Ollie-”

 

“OHSHC is a classic Stephen- RJ shut up- _you know what I mean_!”

 

Johnny put his head onto the table next to him.

* * *

 

 

Due to the realized pining, the following meetings between Max and Johnny were awkward, to say the least. Johnny stared a bit too long at him when Max was laughing, and Max kept ducking his head and avoiding eye contact while talking. Their respective friend groups were now dead set on ending the pining and just getting them together.

 

“And then I tell the guy, no, I ain’t done hangin yer back pack from this tree,” Johnny says, continuing an anecdote form one of his first encounters with an East Hill kid.

 

“What was he even going to do, I guarantee you they can’t climb a thing in those dumb uniforms” Max said.

 

“Exactly, so he can’t get me, or ‘is bag.” Johnny nodded. “So I’m thinkin’ I’m free as a bird, but-”

 

From the bushes nearby, Isaac and RJ watched, waiting for the two to pass. When they finally did, RJ stuck their hand out and grabbed Max’s akle, tripping him.

 

Max fell, but before he could smack his head on something or even get close enough to the ground to, Johnny caught him.

 

“You good Mux?” Johnny asked. Max wasn’t one to trip over air.

 

“I- uh, yeah. hey, th-thanks man.” Max replied as Johnny pulled him upright.

 

“Never took you ta be so clumsy.” Johnny said.

 

“I’m usually not and you know it, hothead.” Max told him. “THe sidewalk was probably raised or something.”

 

“Yeah sure, I think ya might just be losin’ yer touch.” Johnny said. The two continued walking, and Isaac and RJ didn’t miss the fact that they were still holding hands.

 

* * *

 

 

Next time the Jang and the Activity club got to work on Operation BullyMagnet was a little trickier. They waited for Max and Johnny to invite everyone somewhere, something that rarely happened, and then they would proceed to “leave” early and end with Max and Johnny alone.

 

“See ya man, sucks that ya all had ta leave so soon.” Johhny said, clapping Ollie on the back.

 

“Next time for sure buddy.” Ollie said, the door of the diner shutting behind him.

 

“Well, that wasn’t weird at all.” Max said.

 

“Whatcha mean?”

 

“Everyone just kind of, suspiciously left, and I’m pretty sure that’s Izzy behind the tree outside.” Max replied, chewing on the straw of his soda.

 

“I think I’m startin’ ta see where you’re comin’ from, but why’d they all leave just to go all missio imposs’ble?” Johnny asked.

 

“I dunno, but after we eat, you wanna play Mario Kart at your place?”

 

“Can I be Bowser?”

 

“Last time you were Bowser you almost broke the wii remote.”

 

“That’s the point, Muxie.”

 

“It literally isn’t, but sure, you can be Bowser.”


	4. Does that Count as Stalking?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max is good at Mario Kart, and Johnny is not. Their friends are low-key stalkers for a while and Isaac cries when things are pure.

As  it turns out, Max is very good at Mario Kart. Too good, and Johnny Jhonny doesn’t like losing. Especially not forty three times in a row.

 

“I told you I was going to beat you by a mile- _Johnny what are you doing_?!” Max shrieked as Johnny dove onto his lap, shouting curses and flinging a blue shell.

 

“Distractin’ the driver, Maxamillion!”

 

“Johnny I swear to god get the heck off of me-”

 

“No way, I’m in second now!”

 

“You’re kidding me- C’mon I can’t see!” Max shouted, but Johnny just sat up on top of Max and blocked his view even more. “Johnny!”

 

“Suffer nerd!” Johnny crowed, “ I just won!”

 

“You cheated!”

 

“Nope, just layed down on top of my favorite nerd.” Johnny yawned, laying back down.

 

“Johnny I will scream.” Max told him.

 

“Nuh uh.” Johnny said. “Whut time issit?”

 

“Two a.m.- jesus, when’d it get so late, my dad’s gonna lose it.”

 

“Oh man it is late,” Johnny groaned. “Oh well, ‘m tired.”

 

“Are you going to get up?” Max asked.

 

“Nah, you’re comfortable.”

 

“Okay then, I can call my dad in the morning, night.”

 

“G’night nerd.”

 

* * *

 

“I’m going to cry.” Isaac announced in a whisper.

 

“Look how peaceful they are- I didn’t think Johnny was physically capable of being peaceful.” Ed nodded.

 

“Why’s your little friend such a koala?” Stephen asked.

 

“I don’t know but this is too adorable not to document.” Izzy said.

 

“Already on it.” Isaac said, phone out.

 

“They’re gonna kill us when they wake up.” Ed said as RJ gave them a look that said it was worth it.

 

“Speaking of which, I think Johnny might be waking up.” Ollie said, gesturing toward the windo the self proclaimed Activity Jang was perched outside of. Johnny blinked a couple of times before glancing around, and then down at Max, who he was still holding onto and vice versa. Johnny smiled softly and put his head back down.

 

“Oh my god.” Ollie said.

 

“Ohh my god.” Izzy said.

 

“Isaac is crying.” Ed informed them.

 

“Please for the love of all things good tell me you got that on camera.” Stephen sniffed, wiping RJ’s eyes.

 

“Yes and I’m planning on editing soft music into the background.” Isaac said.

 

“Keep filming, I think they’re going to wake up for real this time.” Izzy whispered.

 

Max buried his face in Johnnys shirt before he rolled closer and audibly yawned. Johnny stirred at this, and sat up, pulling Max, who was still clinging to him with him.

 

“The window’s cracked right?” Stephen asked, and RJ nodded, gesturing to the slight gap where the window was open.

 

“Noooo…” Max murmured, still clutching Johnny’s shirt. "Too bright."

 

“M’hngry though…” Johnny replied.

 

“Suffer wrm.”

 

“M’nota worm.”

 

“Nfrmmn.” Max told him, and then after a pause realized his situation, and bolted up, face red. “I uh- sorry- I didn’t mean to-”

 

“Hey, it-it’s fine Max-” Johnny told him. “Wanna go get some poptarts?”

 

“Sure- can I call my dad too, I left my phone charger and it’s dead.”

 

“No problemo nerd.” Johnny stood up, grabbed Max’s hand, and pulled him into the kitchen.

 

Meanwhile the Activity Jang was losing their minds.

 

“Did you SEE that?” Isaac sobbed, “This is the most amazing and beautiful thing I have ever seen ever.”

 

“I feel the need to punch something to rid myself of the sheer softness of that moment.” Izzy nodded.

 

“Did they call each other worms?” Ollie asked.

 

“They’re both weirdos, now we need to run before we get-” Ed began.

 

“Uh guys?” Max asked, standing at the front door, poptart and Johnny's mom's phone in hand, same hand sheilding his eyes from the 10 a.m. sun. “Why are you here? Is Isaac crying?”


	5. Mayview Park is For Delinquents, But That's What These Kids Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For some reason Max and Johnny believe Stephen's dumb excuse, and they go to the park.

“S’up guys!”

 

“Hey Johnny, we were just uh.... Passing by. Thought we could make up for yesterday.” Stephen said quickly. “We were gonna grab Max next, but he’s here so, we were wondering if you guys wanted to hang in the park.”

 

“Sure, you in Maxamillion?” Johnny said, stepping off the porch.

 

“Sounds good to me, I wanted to try some flips on that one wall anyways.” Max replied.

 

“You want me to text yer pops Mux?” Johnny asked,waving his phone at Max.

 

“Nah, it’ll be fine, he’s not expecting me home until later anyways.”

 

“Alright lovebirds, let’s go.” Izzy said, starting to walk.

 

“ _What did you just say_?”

 

“Uhh, she said let’s go. You good Max?” Isaac asked.

 

“Right as rain, weatherboy.”

 

“I will scream.”

 

“I will not.”

 

* * *

 

As it turns out, the park has a wall that is extremely high. This made two people feel two very different things. Max, was extremely happy, and Johnny was extremely anxious.

 

“Nerd bones’re fragile Mux!”

 

“It’s not that high!”

 

“Ya said that ‘bout the bridge.”

 

“This is nothing like the bridge!”

 

“What happened at the bridge?” Ed asked.

 

“Y’know when max broke his other arm?” Johnny asked, turning to the rest of his friends.

 

“Johnny-” Max was interrupted.

 

“He was doin’ flips on the’edge of that low bridge, the one over the creek thas all dried up?”

 

“Max, you said you fell down the stairs!” Izzy scowled.

 

“Because I knew this would happen if you actually knew!”

 

“Max, c’mon!” Isaac said.

 

“You’re bein’ a little reckless little buddy.” Ollie told him.

 

“It’s not that big of a deal, I’m not made of glass!” Max growled, adjusting his hat.

 

“Yer not made’a steel either, Max.” Johnny looked Max in the eye before breaking eye contact and shuffling his feet. “Just don’t wantcha ta get hurt again. Ya scared me, nerd.” Max blinked.

 

“I guess it would suck to be stuck in a cast again.” He shrugged.

 

“Glad y’see it my way nerd.” Johnny grinned. “Now, who wantsa toss someone- prob’ly Storm Boy- inta the duck pond?”

 

“Please no.” Isaac groaned.

* * *

“I hate you.” Isaac told them, wringing out the hem of his shirt, and sending Johnny and Max flying into the duck pond with a wave of his hand. The two landed with a splash, and sat up quickly, laughing while the ducks flapped away for the second time, quacking indignantly.

 

“Will you guys knock it off? It’s September!” Izzy shouted from the playground.

 

“You’re gonna get hypothermia.” Ollie agreed.

 

“Oh man, my backpack’s soaked.”Max complained, using Johnny to balance and climb out of the pond. “Race you guys to the top of the jungle jim?”

 

“You’re on.”

 

“I’ve said this twice now, but Please No.” Isaac groaned for the second time, running to catch up with the pair already sprinting toward the playground area.

 

“What Isaac, just because you’re a freshmen you can’t hang out on the jungle jim?” Max called over his shoulder while pulling himself toward the top of the jungle jim while Johnny struggled to keep on the bottom rung with how slippery his feet were being.

 

Ollie and Izzy joined them, Ollie taking a few upward steps to reach the top, and Izzy jumping. Max turned to see Ed using his paintbrush to make a ladder to the top.

 

“That’s cheating- I don’t know what you’re doing but I don’t like it glasses!” Stephen shouted as he and RJ neared the top where max and Ollie were sitting.

 

“Hey Johnny, guess I gave you the slip!” Max shouted.

 

“I’ll fight ya as soon as I get up there, nerd”

 

“I’m not sure I’ll be up for a fight in fifty years.”

 

“Girls girls, you’re both pretty.” Isabel yawned.

 

“Johnny, you’re literally being possessed by a fire spirit.” Isaac interrupted. “Just dry off, I used some wind.”

 

“Nope, no fair, I’m the only non-medium that’s soaked, and magnets can’t really dry things off.” Max said.

 

“Deal with it nerd,” Johnny taunted, and allowed himself to heat up. His hair didn’t catch on fire at all this time.

 

“I’ll have you know it’s cold up here.”

 

“Not really,” Ed said while Johnny clambered up the side of the jungle jim.

 

“It is if you’re soaked in pond water.”

 

“Take m’jacket then ya nerd.” Johnny shrugged, finally reaching the top. “It’s dry.”

 

Isaac pulled out his phone and pretended to check a text, but really obviously opened up his camera.

 

“I- uh you don’t have t-to, I mean-”

 

“Just take it nerdlord.”

 

“‘O-okay.”

 

Max was wearing Johnny’s jacket. No big deal. They were friends. Friends did that. Max opted to pretend that the reason his face was heating up was because he sprinted to the jungle jim. Nothing to do with Johnny Jhonny or his dumb face.

 

While Max was having his internal crisis, Johnny was refusing to acknowledge the fact that his jacket was way to big on Max and hung off on shoulder and the sleeves were too long and the only reason his face is as red as his hair is because he was using his powers. Nothing to do with Maxwell Puckett or his stupid face.

 

“Okay, while we ignore this moment that’s obviously happening, has anyone done Spender’s homework?” Izzy said, “Because I swear he puts at least three trick questions into every assignment.”

 

“Dude, the answers are always A, B, B, A, and then, F, A, B.” Stephen replied.

 

“Wait seriously?”

 

“Yeah, I figured it out in sixth grade.”

 

“More proof that Spender is a total dork.” Isaac snorted.

 

“You had an ABBA poster in your locker, Isaac.”

 

“Ed, every ABBA song is pure gold and you know it.”

 

“/Debatable/” RJ signed.

 

“Are you asking to be spraybottled because I can and will-”

 

“/King Kong Song./” RJ signed before Isaac could finish.

 

“Shut up it’s one song.”

 

“You did say _every_ song-” Ollie began, but was interrupted by a shriek that Johnny would deny for years to come despite Isaac’s still filming phone. Which may have been the cause of said shriek.

 

“Are- _Are ya filmin_ ’- RJ my face ain’t red I-”

 

“Okay _what is going on_ -”

 

“Just capturing a friendly moment on camera.” Isaac replied, not at all smug.

 

“I am going to die right now.”

 

“For what reason my dear friend?” Ed asked him.

 

“D-d-delete that’ya weirdo!” Johnny shouted, also ignoring how Max shrunk into his jacket.

 

“Okay, look see, deleted.” Isaac assured him showing Johnny his phone.

 

“Y-YOU JUST SENT T”THE GROUP CHAT.”

 

“Oops.”

 

“Well, it’s been fun, but I need to get my homework done!” Izzy dropped to the ground from the jungle jim. “Ed, we gotta split!”

 

“See ya!” Ed said before joining Izzy on the ground.

 

“Shoot what time is it?” Max asked.

 

“Uhh two, why?”

 

“Late for laundry day, gotta go- see ya guys!” Max shouted, doing a flip from one of the rungs on the jungle jim and grabbing his backpack before sprinting off.

 

“Show off!” Isaac yelled, before climbing down like a normal person. “I gotta head out too. Bye!”

 

“Doesn’t Max still have-”

 

“Don’t ruin it Stephen, let him realize on his own.” Ollie shushed Stephen.

 

“/Gotta dash losers. Johnny, wake up and ask him out already./” RJ signed, hopping down and sighing audibly as Johnny spluttered for a good five minutes.

 

“We gotta head too, I’m still on probation with my dads and Ollie’s gotta walk me everywhere because they trust ‘im.” Stephen said, climbing down.

 

“Bye Johnny!”

 

“See ya fellas.”

 

Which left Johnny sitting alone, questioning his own existence, and allowing himself to cool off before he melted the jungle jim.

 

“Wait a sec’...” Johnny scratched his head. He was forgetting something- “PUCKETT’S STILL GOT MY JACKET.”


	6. Everyone's favorite DJ, our good pal RJ

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max is proficient at Skating, Johnny is not, and Isaac skates like a god because he's a weeb. Johnny's love of Pretzel Nuggs is reflective of my own.
> 
> this is absolutely my sorry excuse for a roller skating trope, but I swear it's plot related.

 

“Uhh Max?”

 

“Yes Isabel my good and dear friend?” Max asked, not looking up from his phone.

 

“Is that Johnny’s jacket?”

 

“No.” Max snapped his phone shut, and stood up. “I gotta go, I’m gonna be late for Garcia’s.”

 

“Max- hey! It-IT ISN’T EVEN EIGHT YET YOU DORK!” Izzy shouted after him.

 

* * *

 

After an embarrassing and frankly confusing exchange of an apology and a jacket, everything that day went smoothly. Max had afternoon patrol with Ed, and then everyone was planning on meeting up at the new skating rink to hang out.

 

Johnny and co. arrived first, stealing a table- not literally, and grabbing some snacks while the Activity club filed in and grabbed their skates.

 

“So they just play eighties music?” Stephen asked, glancing at the DJ booth.

 

RJ nodded and shrugged while Ollie patted Stephen’s back empathetically.

 

“We all gotta suffer sometimes buddy.”

 

“/It isn’t that terrible, but it’s still 80’s music/” RJ signed.

 

“Hey guys, what’s up?” Isaac asked, throwing his shoes into the cubby under the table.

 

“Discussin’ the validity of th’music in this joint.” Johnny said as everyone sat down.

 

“Well, it’ll be fun either way- hey Izzy, Max. Where’s Ed?”

 

“In the bathroom waiting for his nose to get off of his elbow.” Max said. “The scrambler spirit finally tooled up though.”

 

“Sweet.”

 

“I don’t even wanna know.” Ollie said as Stephen began to grill Isaac for information on the spirit.

 

“We gonna skate or are we just gonna sit here’n chat?” Johnny asked, standing up and wobbling slightly.

 

“Ed’ll catch up.” Izzy said, standing and gliding to the edge of the rink. “Let’s roll.”

 

Everyone joined her on the rink and began to skate, but Max slowed as he saw Johnny struggling to balance.

 

“Uh... Johnny?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Do you know how to skate?”

 

“‘Course I do! I’ve just never done it b’fore.”

 

“It was your idea to come skating!”

 

“Yeah, ‘cause I thought it’d be easy!”

 

“Here, grab my arm-” Max grabbed Johnny and began slowly skating backward.

 

“Wh-”

 

“You have to move your legs out, not in a straight line.”

 

“O-okay.”

 

“Great, see, it’s easy.” Max said as Johnny grew less and less shaky.

 

“I t-told ya it’d be easy.”

 

“I’m just the best teacher ever.”

 

“Yeah, I guess.”

 

“What was that?”

 

“Nothin’.” Johnny said. “Is that RJ at the DJ booth?”

 

RJ glanced down at them from the booth, the DJ was suspiciously absent, and after a moment, Can’t Fight This Feeling began to play over the speaker.

 

“I never thought RJ was into 80’s stuff.” Max said.

 

“Me neither… they’re up’ta somethin’.” Johnny replied, letting go of Max for moment, and proceeding to trip on Isaac who was sprawled across the floor. Johnny managed to fall right on top of Max, pulling him down with him.

 

Max stared up at Johnny who was now above him, face burning.

 

“Uh- I- uhm-s....sorry man- I didn’t mean ta take ya down when I fell-”

 

“It-it’s fine-” Johnny attempted to stand, but he was still getting used to skates, causing him to fall right back down.

 

“Y-ya know what, I’ll just stay here, gettin’ up’s too hard.”

 

“Y-you do that.”

 

Eventually one of the employees asked them to please get off the floor, so the two struggled to their feet while Max glared at Isaac, who was now doing elegant laps around the rink. He’d totally fallen on purpose.

 

“I think- I think I might be j’st a little bit bad at skatin’.” Johnny said.

 

“Well, you might be bad at skating, but I’d say that this was pretty fun.” Max told him as they skated over to the group, who was ready to head home. (The staff finally caught RJ and now they were all leaving before RJ was either kicked out permanently or offered a job.)

 

“Really?”

 

“Sure man, when else do we get to listen to eighties music without being publicly shamed? Although, the disco ball was shining in my eyes every four seconds  which ws so much fun.” Max paused for a moment. “Besides, you falling every six seconds means I got to catch you for once.”

 

“Guys we gotta go, they’re trying to get RJ to stay.” Ollie said, pulling off his skates and corralling everyone else. They all pulled off their skates and handed them in before retrieving their shoes and leaving while the subject of Isaac’s skating ability was debated.

“I’m just saying that the only reason he’s so good is because of that one skating anime.” Izzy announced, kicking a rock.

 

“Does that detract at all from his skill though?” Ollie asked.

 

“No, but it makes him significantly more of a geekaboo.” Izzy replied, kicking her rock out of  eyesight.

 

“Is geekaboo a word?” Isaac asked

 

“Yeah.” Izzy said, at the same time Ed said “no.”

 

“Edward Burger, I denounce you, for thou art a traitor.”

 

“This is the third time you’ve denounced him this week.” Max told her. “I think he gets it.”

 

“He hasn’t been denounced enough yet.”

 

“Can I not be denounced at all?”

 

“Suffer, worm.”

 

“Now you’re starting to sound like Lisa.”  Stephen grinned.

 

“Good. Pay me, or be exposed.”

 

“That’s Suzy.” Max shuddered. “I’m still not over the time she set up cameras in my house.”

 

“Oh, that was RJ, they did it to freak you out.”

 

“Are you serious?” Max yelled. “I was sleeping with one eye open for a week!”

 

“/And I am proud of that./” RJ grinned at him.

 

“RJ is denounced now too.” Max continued shouting.

 

“What do I have to do to get denounced?” Isaac asked.

 

“Nothing Stormy, ya got d’nounced when you bought th’last pretzel nuggets at the mall.”

 

“That was three weeks ago!”

 

“You think I joke around ‘bout my pretzel nuggets?”

 

“I’ll buy you pretzel nuggets next time, jeez.”

 

“Accepted, y’r now un-denounced.”

 

“You just asked to get denounced, cloudy with a chance of stupid.” Max said, flicking Isaac’s ear.

 

“Yeah, but denounced by Johnny means punched by Johnny.”

 

“He’s not wrong.” Stephen nodded.

 

“Speaking of, Max, why is it that everyone here has been denounced by Johnny except you?” Ed asked.

 

“I get privileges because I introduced him to pretzel nuggs.”

 

“Don’t be so sure Muxie, you just haven’t done anythin’ yet.”

 

“Boo.”

 

"Boo yer face, Puckett."

 

"Boo your-"

 

“You guys wanna go to Redfellow’s? I’m starving.” Ed interrupted what was bound to become screaming.

 

“Sounds fine to me.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“Cool with me.”

 

“You’re always hungry Ed, but sure.”

 

“Sounds good ta’ me.”

 

“If we can get milkshakes too.” Stephen agreed as RJ gave a thumbs up.


	7. Fry Eating Contests and Johnny's Moms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans in a diner, and Johnny's moms, who are the best women on the planet.

“Betcha I can fit more fries in m’mouth than you, Mux.”

 

“You’re on hothead.”

 

“Oh god.”

 

“What Izzy?”

 

“Every time you two have a competition of any sorts something catches on fire or is destroyed in some way.”

 

“Oh well, it’s more fun thataway!” Johnny said as their fries arrived. “You ready shorty?”

 

“Absolutely, tough guy.”

 

“Three… Two.... One!”

 

Johnny immediately crammed as many fries in his mouth as possible as Maz began strategically stacking them, and their friends watched in a mixture of horror, admiration, and disgust.

 

Johnny tried pouring Max’s soda on his fries to deter him but to the groups repulsion, Max continued to place fries. Max threw some of Isaac’s salad onto Johnny’s plate when he wasn’t looking, and as Isaac shouted at Max, Johnny attempted to talk around his mouthful of fries.

 

“Y’omfrs tste grn?”

 

“What?” Stephen asked.

 

“Y-y… oo ...y frs ts- ts grn?”

 

“Say that again?” Ed grinned, catching on. Johnny angrily spat out his fries and asked,

 

“WHY DO M’FRIES TASTE GREEN?”

 

“Oh, because Max threw some of Isaac’s rabbit food onto your plate.” Isabel said, brandishing an un-eaten piece of lettuce.

 

“ _It’s not rabbit food Isabel_!”

 

“It’s what rabbits eat though.”

 

“Maaax that’s cheating- uh- y’know you can stop.” Max shook his head.

 

“He’s going to continue until you admit you lose.” Isabel said.

 

“Wh- Yeah I lost because’e put lettuce in m'dang fries.” Johnny said, gesturing to his plate. Max grinned, and spat out the fries as Isaac and RJ cringed.

 

“That was for Mario Kart.”

 

“Ya always win though!”

 

“Because I’m better than you, you spiky loser.”

 

“Is Max claiming to be good at Mario Kart?”

 

“I believe he is, Isaac.” Izzy grinned.

 

“Prepare to suffer and die Max.” Ed finished.

 

“Do you guys just have this speech planned out?” Max asked.

 

“Absolutely, what do you take us for?” Isaac replied.

 

“Well, I hate to interrupt whatever that is- actually no, I'm terrified to hear the rest of your Team Rocket-esque Mario Kart speech, but it’s getting late and we have school tomorrow.” Max said, starting to stand up.

 

“Well, see ya.”

 

“Later nerds.”

 

“Bye oafs.”

 

After several choruses of good-byes, they left the diner and went their separate ways.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Johnny, sweetheart, can you grab my water for me?” Johnny’s mom Theresa called, shuffling the paperwork in her office. After a moment of no reply, Theresa called again. “Johnny?”

 

It was unlike her son to be so quiet- or quiet at all. She stood, and walked down the stairs to his room, to see him angrily staring at the ceiling.

 

“Are you alright kiddo?”

 

Johnny grunted, still staring up.

 

“Cecelia, can you come up here?” Theresa yelled down the basement stairs.

 

“On m’way up honey!” Her wife yelled back, dropping her Wii remote. “S’goin’ on?”

 

“Johnny’s being weird.”

 

“Weird how?” Cecelia asked.

 

“Laying quietly in bed and semi-aggressively staring at his ceiling.”

 

“Weird.”

 

“That’s what I just told you, now, instead of gossiping about it, we should probably go parent him or something.”

 

“Oh, yeah.” They stepped quietly into Johnny’s room, and sat next to him on the bed. “Hey, what’s goin’ on Johnny boy?”

 

“Dumb things.” The boy replied as he plopped a pillow on top of his face. “Rlly dm thngs.”

 

“What kind of dumb things honey?” Theresa asked, lifting the pillow off of her son’s face

 

“A nerd with a stupid face.”

 

“What?”

 

“Wait a minute, _wait a minute_!” Cecelia shouted, grabbing Johnny and pulling him toward her.

 

“Maaaaaa-”

 

“Don’t you ‘ma’ me.” Cecelia chastised, before continuing. “Do you have a crush?”

 

“Sweetheart, he obviously does, you haven’t noticed yet?” Theresa asked. She smoothed down Johnny’s hair and smiling at him.

 

“What? Who? When? What?”

 

“Babe, darling, sweetie, Max has been coming to our house for like two years and these boys are blushing messes every time.”

 

“I just thought the Puckett kid was just scared of me.”

 

“I think he’s more scared of me than you, first time we had him over, you fell down the stairs and cried because they were watching wonder woman without us.”

 

“Shut.”

 

“Anyway, Johnny, don’t worry, your ma did the same thing.”

 

“I did not.”

 

“Trust me honey-”

 

“I do mom, I just...just.. _I don’t know how’ta talk ta boys_.”

 

“You talk to the Stephen and Ollie all the time, though.” Cecelia reminded him.

 

“Y-yeah, but like, innit different?”

 

“Not at all.” Cecelia said.

 

“If the person you you’re in love with isn’t exactly like a best friend-”

 

“With the added bonus of smooches an’ hand holdin’” Cecelia jumped in.

 

“Then why bother? If you like Max and he likes you- and he does, then there isn’t a problem.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Absolutely honey.” Theresa said, and kissed her son on the forehead.

 

“Now go ta bed, you have school in the mornin’.” Cecelia said, wrapping Johnny up in a hug. “I’ll beat ‘im up if he’s mean to you.”

 

“Babe, you can’t threaten to beat up children, it’s setting a bad example.”

 

“Oh whatever.”

 

“Night!”

 

“Goodnight sweetheart.”

 

“Night kiddo, see ya in the mornin’.”


	8. Scrapdragon is a Massive Drama Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, this is a super insanely short chapter because the next one is a massive and cool one so get ready folks

Max was sitting in his room, talking to PJ when he noticed it. There was a faint buzzing coming from his backpack, and it couldn’t have been his phone, sitting on the nightstand, so Max carefully pulled the bag closer and, glancing back as Hissing Pete began freaking the flip out. Max looked back at the bag, to find the buzzing coming from…

 

His bat?

 

“Uh… you okay there?”

 

The buzzing increased, and a ringing sound began emanating from the bat. PJ shrank back and Hissing Pete grew louder. Max grabbed his phone and called Isabel.

 

“What’s going on Max? Me and Ed are playing Dark Souls.”

 

“Scrapdragon’s bat is doing something.”

 

“What do you mean it’s doing something, what’s it doing?”

 

“Buzzing? Ringing? Things a bat shouldn’t d- Ow! What the-” Max ducked as various metal objects round the room began to hover around the bat. “It’s doing a megnet thing, I’m not even touching it.”

 

“Oh no- Max, Scrapdragon’s trying to leave the bat- I’m getting Ed to call Spender, come over to the dojo.” Izzy hung up, and Max stared at the bat.

 

“Dude, come on, I have a test tomorrow,” Max said, before grabbing his bat, and yelling to his dad. “I’m goin’ to Izzy and Ed’s for a little bit! Be back soon!”

 

Max leapt out of his window and shimmied down the side of his house, sprinting toward the Guerra’s.


	9. And That Makes Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are a lot less simple now

“So, what do I do? Is Scrapdragon gonna be alright?” Max asked, showing Isabel his increasingly aggressive tool.

 

“Well, I don’t- he’s gonna be okay, but he’s definitely ready to leave the bat.”

 

“What happens then?”

 

“Scrapdragon either leaves, returns to the bat, or the more likely event is that he possesses you, Max.” Ed told him.

 

“What? How long would that even take?”

 

“Thirty minutes to an hour.” Ed replied, adjusting his glasses.

 

“Isaac’s on his way.” Izzy said.

 

“What about Spender, would he know anything about this?”

 

“I couldn’t get him, but this has happened before, we’ll be fine.” Isabel told him, trying not to look worried and failing pretty badly.

 

“Okay, cool, this is gonna be fine.” Max said, pulling out his phone.

 

“What’cha doing?”

 

“Texting Johnny because I’m refusing to panic”

 

“Cool cool.” Izzy said as the bat began to shake frantically.

“I think Scrapdragon’s on his way.” Ed said as Isaac ran inside.

 

“Oh jeez…” 

 

“Okay well, Max?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“We gotta back up some so Scrapdragon doesn’t accidentally go for one of us instead, but we’re right here.” Izzy said, pulling Ed and Isaac back toward the corner.

 

“Great, okay, what could go wrong other than a giant magnet snake getting loose and trying to kill one of us?” Max laughed, glancing at the bat. “Don’t get any ideas, you.”

 

The bat suddenly stopped the shaking and became completely still.

 

“Maybe it was false alar-”

 

Scrapdragon screeched, coiling around the room as it morphed into it’s spirit world. Something else as there though too, it was massive and dark and looked suspiciously familiar.

 

“Uhh.... why is there a chunk of Spender’s shadow monster here?” Max asked Scrapdragon, who responded by hissing and coiling away from the dark mass.

 

“What the flip is goi- _ owowowow what the- _ ” Max’s skull was struck with a searing hot pain, and he doubled over. “S-stop- _ please _ !”

 

The sensation only worsened, and Max was soon on his knees. He could distantly hear his friends as his connection with Scrapdragon fluctuated with the pulsing behind his eyes.

 

“ _ Someone...Spender _ !”

 

“ _ Th…-ot normal _ !”

 

“ _ MAX _ ?”

 

Max couldn’t see, the dark mass grew closer, and his head felt like it was splitting open as Scrapdragon attempted to move toward him.

 

“You foolish thing, back away.” The dark mass echoed from deep within itself. Scrapdragon seemed to shudder, before hissing and circling closer to Max. “Y̱͍o͜u̶̩̞͈̖ ̜̬͖̲͚̹a͏͚r̕e̸̬̰͔̮͍͙̘ d̤̻̬̰a͎̪̠͇̕m̵͍͇̲͖͕̻̙a͚̟̣̭̹̹ͅg̡͙i̠̳̭n͖̖g̰̮̺̼̥̻ ̡̦͓̗̘̭m҉y̷̭̮͚͚ ̪̩̻͟v̸͕̙̩̫̰̟e͚̠͕s̸͉s̝̻͇͕ͅe̥̯̥͈l͏͙̤̮͔̲͙͎,̴ ͇͙͚̳̤̼̘b̦a͡c̦̣̩̭k͕͟ ̷̤̯aw҉̰̤̻̯̖͈ͅa̪̯͔͍̮̮y͚̝͈̳͉͓.̞ ͔̮͍̠͎̫̤̟̱͏̪̞̥͕̺͚̫Ṯ̡̖̦̺h̛͎̗̹e̷ ͏͉̫͖c̻̺̣̲̯ͅh̵͎͕̣̬̬i̶̻l̥̝̞d͉̠̤͎͔̳͔r͖̰͖en͈͓͎͚͕͡ ̤͓͚͞w̩͞ḛ̷͔̬͈̗̭r̴̞̗̞e̷͔͇͕̗̮͉ ̻̳͉̣̯͕̖fo̜͍͘o̗͎͔̞̙̻l̮͈͜ͅi̵̥͇̻s̳h͔̝͖͞ ̖̩̥̗̺̬̟͡to̟͚̤̗͚̩͎ ̩͈̻̕a̰̥͟t̩͙̺͔̹͝t̰͖̗̹͇ẹ̶̖͕m͕̜̘̤͢ͅp͝t͏͕͈ t̫̜̥̹̱ͅͅh͇̱i̙̱s̻͈͙̺̗.̹̹͓͉̫͕ ̩̘͚̠̘͎ͅA̤͔̲͈̥ͅs̕ ͎͉͇̥̞͠yo̤̘u̖͇̤͉ ͖c̶̪̜̬̯̙̭ạ̖͎̜̕n̢̮͓̦̖ ͇͓͉̭̪m͕͚͙͉o̬̝s̱͚̘͎̝̝t ̩͉̙͔̪͞l̫̱͙̮i͉̱͍̥̕k̨e̞͕̥͔l̟y̷͍͚̲̥̖͓ ͔̝̖̗ṱ̝͢e͉̙̲̮͉l̳l̬͈̘̞,͏͎̭̯̭ ͈̱̦̠Ṃ̘̠̩͈a̸̬͍̲̼͖xw̠͚̤͖͍̞͠ę̭͈͎l̷l̹̘̥̩͔,҉̬̯͎̳

 

“You cannot possess something that’s already being possessed.” Max felt himself saying, and he gasped, clutching at his throat as the raspy, double layered voice that wasn’t his forced its way out of his mouth.

 

Max felt hands clutching his arms, his face, someone was leaning over him. A couple of someones? Max didn’t know, but his head was hurting and he was so tired. There was shouting, and something bright red leaning over him, but Max figured it could wait, and let his eyes slide shut.

 

* * *

 

When Max began panic texting him, Johnny started heading toward the Guerra’s as fast as he could. When Max collapsed on the floor just as he came in, Johnny was irate and terrified, not letting anyone that didn’t know what the punch was going on near him.

 

Max started clutching his head and nearly screaming and Johnny nearly dropped him, he watched helplessly as Max’s eyes began glowing white and he bagan saying things no one could understand, but it ended with that chilling phrase about Max being possessed before Max went quiet, falling onto the floor. 

 

Spender rushed in after that, crouching next to a Johnny that was close to tears, and muttering about the missing piece, wondering how this was possible, which wasn’t helping Max, dangit. Johnny had never in his entire life threatened an adult, but he not so kindly told Spender to help or find someone who could before Johnny burnt something down.

 

Spender quickly yanked out a phone, and dialed up Dr. Zarei, and she was there in five minutes. The doctor made the attempt to shoo Johnny away once, but he refused, and agreed to back up a little bit, but never left Max’s side. The Activity club waited nervously at the door, and when Dr. Zarei finally stood, she answered their questions quickly.

 

“Is Max okay?”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Is it going to happen again?”

 

“Why’s Scrapdragon back inside the bat?”

 

“Yes, Max is going to be fine.” She said, making eye contact with everyone before continuing. “Scrapdragon attempted to possess him, but it turns out Max was already being possessed by a spirit of some sort. I do not know if he was aware of this or not.”

 

“And we will not allow this to happen again. The cause of this incident was the result of the spirit possessing him forcing out scrapdragon out, overwhelming it, Max, and Scrapdragon.” Spender added. “Which is also why Scrapdragon is now back inside the bat.”

 

“Max should wake up in an hour or two.” Dr. Zarei told them before packing up her medical bag. He’ll be a little groggy but okay to go home. Johnny then did something unexpected.

 

“Uh- thank you doc… fer makin’ sure Max’s gonna be okay, I mean.”

 

“No problem Johnny.” She replied. “Keep him out of trouble.”

 

“Oh- w...will do.”

* * *

The next hour was tense. Isaac kept glancing at the clock, then at Max, then at Spender. Izzy went to go spar instead of sitting still, telling them to get her the the second Max moved. Ed chewed on his nails, silently freaking out, while Spender paced and Johnny stared down at Max anxiously.

Max’s nose twitched, and he blinked open his eyes slowly, and made a half attempt to sit up.

“Max!” Johnny shouted.

“Whm?” Max asked, rubbing his eyes.

“That’s not a word Max.”

“Shut ‘saac.”

“Even when he’s like this he tells me to shut up.”

“I’ll grab Izzy.” Ed said, ducking out of the room. “Coming Isaac?”

“What? Why-  _ oh _ ! Oh, okay.” Isaac replied, following Ed.

“Are you alright Max?” Spender asked.

“Yea, m’head hurts.”

“I expected that.” Spender told him. “We have much to talk about after you’re fully awake.”

“I’m not done with’a homework yet?” Max mumbled, Spender chuckled and left the room to alert Dr. Zarei Max was awake.

“Max?”

“Johnny, hey, y’re here. Hi.” Max’s eyes finally stopped blinking sleepily, and he looked up. “What happened exactly?”

“Not gonna lie Muxie, I have no flippin’ clue.” Johnny said. “It was pretty scary though.” Johnny plopped down onto the couch next to Max.

“What? What was scary?”

“Scrappy was gettin’ antsy n’ tryna come out of the bat, and you were gettin’ nervous about it, and I got here and you passed out and spoke in a weird language like Forge does and your eyes were all white.”

“Wow, well, at least I can say I successfully scared the fearless Johnny Jhonny.” Max laughed, sitting all the way up.

“ ‘m not...fearless when it’s ‘bout you.” Johnny muttered, avoiding eye contact.

“Johnny?”

“I- I Shouldn’ta said that outloud I-”

“No, it’s… it’s okay!” Max told him. “I uhm- same. About that. Except for not me. At you, I mean”

“Thanks, Puckett.”

“Maxwell Vincent Puckett, I swear to god if you do that again I will cry.” Izzy shouted as she rushed into the room followed by Ed and Isaac.

“I’m still not clear on what I did.” Max said raising his hands.

“I just told ya, dummy.”

“Yes but I’d like to know the why and how, thanks.”

“Well, were you aware you’re already possessed?” Ed asked, doodling on the floor with his paintbrush.

“What?”

“So that’s a no.” Isaac said. “Well, congratulations, you’ve been possessed by an unknown spirit for an unknown amount of time!”

“What?”

“And you can’t have two things possessing you, that’s dumb.” Izzy added. “So Scrapdragon went back into his bat, because whatever’s been possessing you overpowered him.”

“It overpowered Scrapdragon?”

“Yup!”

“Are you sure you didn’t know you were possessed?” Ed asked him.

“Yeah, pretty flipping sure!” Max shouted, gesturing to his own head. “Do we maybe know who this thing is?”

“Not quite yet.” Spender said, causing the group of kids to jump.

“Where’d you even come from?” Max asked, wheezing.

“The next room over,” Spender shrugged. “Now, we need to figure some things out, Max.”

“Yeah, so why is there a possibly evil spirit possessing me and how did I not know?”

“I’m not sure, and I don’t know.” SPender grinned, light bouncing off his sunglasses.

“Maybe if Spender sparkles at it enough it’ll go away.” Isaac snorted.

“Solid plan. I’m predicting sunny with a chance of failure.”

“I’ll zap you.”

“And I’ll dodge it, rain brain.”

“Focus, children, we need to figure this out.”

“Sorry I’m a little scatterbrained at the moment, I dunno if you’ve noticed, but there is quite literally someone else in my brain.” Max deadpanned.

“That’s not how possession works Maxwell, you know this.” Spender said. “And there is a way to interact with your spirit.”

“How?”

“You’ll need to willingly contact it. It’s similar to going into Scrapdragon’s spirit world, but without the bat.”

“And what are the chances of this thing being evil?” Max asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Well, Johnny was possessed without knowing it and Forge is pretty cool.” Isaac said.

“Yeah, he’s p’loud but I guess he’s alright.”

“Do wish to contact the spirit now, or would you rather wait, Max?” Spender asked him.

“I- I think I’m gonna wait on this one, because I’m already late getting home, and my dad wants to watch Jumanji.” Max replied, standing, and only wobbling a little bit.

“We can attempt to contact the spirit after school on monday, but I ask that you do not do this alone.” Spender said.

“One question.” Isaac said, raising a hand.

“Yes?” Spender replied.

“Why did Scrapdragon have enough energy to leave the bat so early? Eightfold was in her book forever and never left.”

“There could be two reasons for this.” Spender said, light bouncing off his sunglasses. “It could be that the unidentified spirit was providing an excess of spectral energy, enough to provide Scrapdragon with a quicker route out of  the bat, or Scrapdragon may just be more powerful than Eightfold was.”

“Well, that’s terrifying, I’m going home.” Max said, stumbling toward the door.

“I gotta run too, we’re renovatin’ the headquarters today and I ran off in the middle’a it.”

“Dangit, I wanted to play hide and seek in the woods tonight.” Izzy said, tossing a couch cushion into the air and catching it. Max paused at the memory of the last game of hide and seek.

“Last time we did that we almost got hit by a falling tree.” Isaac reminded her.

“And you almost blinded me with a flashlight.” Max grumbled.

“Exactly, it was awesome.”

“Debatable.” Ed said.

“Well, while you three debate the ethics of hide and everyone is found except me, I’m gonna go.” Max said, waving as he left. “See you guys later.”

“Bye Max, see ya Johnny.”

“Later dudes.”

“See you Monday.”


	10. Even Max Has Those Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max has a bad brain day and Dad Puckett is an understanding guy

 

Okay, so maybe Max wasn’t completely focused on Jumanji, but who would be? He was going through various times that a spirit could have possessed him without his knowledge, and coming up empty. He wasn’t showing physical signs of possession, was he? How long would it be before he did?

 

“Max?” His father’s voice shook him out of his thoughts. Zoe was grabbing the popcorn bowl and escaping to her room.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You doin’ okay kiddo? You’re a hundred miles away.” The movie was halfway through the credits, Max had just been staring at the screen.

 

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine, just zoned out’s all.”

 

“You know you can talk to me if you want buddy, it doesn't have to be all snark all the time.” His dad told him. 

 

“I know, I guess I’m just tired is all.”

 

“Are you sure? Did something happen with your friends?”

 

“What? No, we’re all good, why?”

 

“No reason, but I know it sucks when you get into arguments.”

 

“Yeah, but we almost never argue.” Max paused.  “Not for real, anyway.”

 

“So it’s just one of those days?” Mr. Puckett asked. Max didn’t have ‘one of those days’ often. A few years ago? It was all the time. But when they moved to Mayview and Max was kept constantly distracted by ghosts and powers and chaotic neutral red heads, and the days Max found it difficult to form coherent sentences or even enjoy things in general were less and less frequent, but did happen occasionally. 

 

“Kinda, I guess.” did it count if Max was shocked into a bad brain day by the harrowing fact a spirit was possessing him without his knowledge?

 

“You want some ice cream and the Shred Eagle tapes?” His dad asked him, already headed for the fridge.

 

“Thanks dad.”

* * *

 

Max spent the next day ignoring everyone and everything, determinedly watching every Shred Eagle tape he owned, while wrapped up in every blanket he owned with all the lights off and his blinds drawn. His dad popped his head in Max’s room a couple of times to check up on him, and Max would reply by shooting his hand in the air with a thumbs up.

 

It was to be expected that his friends, whom he interacted with usually on a daily basis would be worried by his absence in the group chat and the way he ignored every beep his flip phone made from his nightstand.

 

It was not expected that one of them would crawl through his window, land in a heap on his floor, steal a single blanket and huddle next to Max wordlessly, red hair sticking up in every direction as Max shoved the ice cream tub closer to him.

 

Max’s dad glanced in one more time, but instead of the usual thumbs up, he was met with a salute from Johnny as the tapes ran out and Max began to snore. Mr. Puckett always new he’d end up liking Max’s angry red friend.


	11. Welcome to Your BrainSpace, Max

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max takes a trip, into hos own head to see what he's up against, so obviously he's gonna crack some jokes.

“Maxwell Puckett if you ever scare us like that again-”

 

“Right after the whole spirit thing!”

 

“RJ no swearing-”

 

“We will love and support you until you DIE.”

 

Max was expecting worse, the last time he didn’t answer, they waited in the store for him. 

 

“We occasionally go days without seeing each other you know.”

 

“Yeah, but there was zero interaction and you just had an encounter with an powerful spirit, sue us for worrying.” Isabel said, flicking Max, who was surprised that Johnny didn’t mention the hours they’d spent staring blankly at the tv screen.

 

“Who wants to be my lawyer?”

 

“Listen, I dunno about all of this ghost business, but Johnny tore outta the Jang meeting so fast he left scorch marks in Ollie’s yard,” Stephen said as RJ nodded. “It freaked us out man.”

 

“I apologize for ignoring you, you attention loving fools.” Max replied, flipping open his phone to delete the multitude of messages still in his inbox.

 

“Apology accepted you cynical weirdo.” 

 

“So did you actually end up doing Spender’s homework?” Ed asked. Max replied, and Ollie shouted a reminder about not swearing.

 

“I got it done, y’can copy mine, nerd king.”

 

“Thanks, lord and sovereign of stupid land.”

 

“I’ll punch you.”

 

“No thanks.”

 

“Yes thanks.”

 

“That doesn’t even make any sense, Johnny.” Isaac said.

 

* * *

 

The day droned on, seemingly lasting hours. The only class that was interesting was when Johnny managed to convince the substitute for Mrs. Baxter to let him teach. And if Max thought Johnny looked adorable in those fake glasses he’d pulled out from thin air, then no one needed to know that.

 

It was a pleasant distraction. Max was worried out of his mind about what was in his mind. The fact that he was possessed by something he didn’t know was pretty disturbing.

 

Speaking of his possibly evil brain buddy, it was almost time to meet them, Isaac had even taken the shortcut to meet the group.

 

“It’ll be fine Mux, we won’t let a thing happen t’ya.” Johnny told him, arm slung around his shoulder as they walked. 

 

“I’m not above punching the spirit out of you.” Isabel said, which was slightly less comforting.

 

“Please do Not.”

 

“Alright nerd, this is where we stop, good luck talking to your alien implant” Stephen said, bumping Max’s knuckles.

 

“Be safe little guy.” Ollie nodded, and then RJ surprised everyone by speaking up.

 

“Good luck Max.”

 

“Thanks guys, RJ, I’ll do my best to like, actually figure out who this is.”

 

“We gotcha Max.” Ed said, patting Max’s back and letting Johnny kick in the door.

 

“Thanks guys, but I bet it’ll be fine.” Max replied, shaking off his own nerves. “Spender’s there, so what could go wrong?”

 

“Ah, good,  right on time.” Spender said as the group walked into the room. “Are you prepared, Maxwell?”

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be I guess.”

 

“Fantastic, let me see Scrapdragon, we need to distance you from the tool to prevent you from accidentally accessing that part of your spirit.” Spender told Max. Max handed his backpack with his bat in it to his teacher, and watched in horror as Spender tossed it out the window.

 

“Dude!”

 

“My apologies, but I wanted to be sure.”

 

“You didn’t have to toss my flippin’ backpack out the window. Jesus.” Max groaned, leaning out the window. “And, of course, because I am the most fortunate person in the entire world, it landed in a puddle.”

 

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Spender assured Max, leading him away from the window and back to the center of the Activity clubroom. “Now, focus on entering your spirit world, but look for the other spirit’s presence, not Scrapdragon’s.”

  
  


“Do I have to close my eyes or somethi-”

 

“No, but stay quiet, focus.” Spender interrupted. Max sighed, stayed quiet, and felt for the Spirit.

 

It was dark in his own head, but not empty. The landscape was an amalgamation of Baxbourough and Mayview, platforms and gullies mixing to create a freerunning paradise. Lining every street corner were replicas of his mother’s statues, ominously towering over Max’s head.

 

“Hm.” Max’s voice echoed over the deserted streets, cutting through the darkness and bouncing off the towering skyscrapers and corner stores. “Uh- hello?” The words were swallowed up instead of echoing this time, captured by the deepening shadow and swept from existence.

 

The landscape tilted ever so slightly, and Max stumbled forward, cursing.

 

“I guess I’m… Mentally  _ Unstable _ .” Max could practically feel his friends cringing at that one. Before he could regain his train of thought once more, Max was forced forward by the terrain inclining once more. “Hey watch it! I’m trying to think here, not there!”

 

The darkness then seemed to shudder, almost uncoiling and spreading out. Strips of shadow wriggling and reaching toward him. A single eye opened up revealing what looked like a piece of a darkened sun.

 

“Hi there.” Max said, shaking. The thing convulsed and loomed ever closer. Reaching out toward him. Max suddenly remembered that he could die here, and then very much did not want to be there. “Bye there.”


	12. Ice Cream Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang reviews the nightmare monster living in casa de Max and gets some ice cream.

“Mux? You okay?” Johnny asked, holding Max up as his knees buckled.

 

“Just- just peachy.” Max replied as Johnny and Isaac led him to the couch.

 

“Did you make contact?” Spender asked after a moment of allowing Max to catch his breath.

 

“I think so, unless that was a projection of my inner fears, in which case, I’d like to speak to someone about therapy.”

 

“What did it look like? Did it say anything?” Isabel flopped onto the couch next to Ed and Isaac.

 

“Uh, it was a massive shadowy looking sun thing, and it was really freaky, and I didn’t talk to it.” Max said, glancing at Spender. The spirit looked eerily similar to the one Spender was secretly harboring.

 

“Spooky.” Ed said, flicking some paint onto Max.

 

“Not at all, it’s not like there’s a shadow monster in my brain.”

 

“Okay, hurtful but fair.” Ed replied.

 

“Sorry Ed, I’m still in panic run from big scary monster mode.”

 

“Again, fair.”

 

“So, Spender, what’s the diagnosis for this guy?” Max asked. Spender didn’t answer, pausing to glance down at Max. “What is it?”

 

“You kids should get home, I need to do some research.” Spender said.

 

“What?”

 

“Have no worries, I will return with answers tomorrow, but for now, I know for a fact you all have homework.”

 

“I don’t.” Isaac said, flicking rainwater at Johnny. The kids stood up and left the room, Spender closing the door behind them.

 

“I’ll hurt yer face.”

 

“Please refrain.”

 

“You guys wanna get some ice cream and smoothies?” Ed asked, noticing Max hadn’t spoken up.

 

“Sure, Joe’s is open until eight, right?” Max replied.

 

“I think so, should we grab Stephen, Ollie and RJ?” Isaac asked Johnny, who had his phone out.

 

“Already textin’ em’.”

 

“Great, and after, mr. highschool can give us the answers to this dumb homework because I know it’s the same form last year.” Izzy knocked her arm into Isaac.

 

“Yeah old man, or is your memory failing?” Max grinned as Isaac shrieked.

 

“Maybe I just won’t give them to you guys.”

 

“I will punch th’ answers outta ya, frecks.”

 

“Fr-w- Johnny- I don’t even have freckles you-”

 

“Fellas, as lovely as it is to listen to your melodic voices up close and personal, this is physically painful.” Max attempted to shrug off Johnny’s arm, and failed.

 

“No way nerd, my arm’s tired’n yer comfortable.” Johnny said.

 

“Ughhh”

 

“Quit being dorks and let’s go, we’re here.” Izzy called, already jogging up to the ice cream stand. “There’s the others.”

 

“/I want a waffle cone./” RJ signed, shoving Ed forward to order for them.

 

“Jeez okay it’s my turn.” Ed said as he stumbled.

 

“Oooh I want sprinkles on mine.” Ollie called as various orders were shouted at Ed, whoever was chosen to get the ice cream got screeched at by the group until orders were sorted and recited.

 

The kids sat down at their usual table, laughing and stealing each other’s ice cream. Max pressed the memories of the ominous figure he now knew to be inhabiting his body to the back of his head, trying to remain as normals as possible.

 

“An’ I told ‘im, if you’re gonna be mad about, y’shouldn’ta tried ta tackle RJ in th’first place.” Johnny said punching at an invisible foe.

 

“Please tell me you didn’t flamethrower the kid, Johnny.”

 

“I said I wouldn’t an’ I didn’t, it ain’t my fault if he got a little singed by a punch.” Johnny replied.

 

“Did he notice?” Isaac asked, while he bit into his popsicle. Max pretended not to notice, while Izzy lost her mind at the sight of it, just like she did every time.

 

“Nah, he was too busy runnin’ away.” Izzy took a deep breath, and stood up on the bench as Johnny finished talking.

 

“YOU’RE EATING IT WRONG, ISAAC.” 

 

“It is my right to eat my popsicle the way I please, this is a free country.”

 

“Petition to make me ruling monarch of America so I can outlaw biting into popsicles?”

 

“Seconded.” Stephen said.

 

“Thirded.” Ed agreed.

 

“Thrided isn’t a word Ed.”

 

“Isaac do I look like a being bound by the limitations of the English language?” Ed asked. “Do I?”

 

“Fair.”

 

“What other languages do you speak then, Ed?” Max asked.

 

“All of them, but I see you’re fluent in Sass.”

 

“Ooooh” Isabel shouted while Ed slid a pair of sunglasses over his actual glasses.

 

“You clearly aren’t Edward, so do you really speak All of the Languages?”

 

“Where did he even get those?” Isaac wondered aloud.

 

“No clue dude.” Ollie replied.

 

“Sass isn’t an official language though, it’s like Pig-Latin.” Ed said.

 

“You said All Of Them.”

 

“Those thems don’t count.”

 

“I think thems do.” Max grinned.

 

“Well, thems don’t.”

 

“Why don’t thems, I think those thems- the sass them in particular, are valid.”

 

“YOU ARE BOTH CONFUSIN’ ME.” Johnny shouted, arms waving.

 

“Not exactly a difficult thing to do.”

 

“I will punt your small nerd frame off a roof.”

 

“That’s essentially how our friendship was solidified, so by all means, take the next step.”

 

Max’s words did not register to either of them for a solid 20 seconds. 

 

“I mean- uh- I-”

 

“And here we see a complete Snarky and Barky shutdown.” Isaac stated. “Johnny is in the process of overheating while Max reboots.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Am I wrong?”

 

“Yes! One Hundred Percent! I’m not rebooting!”

 

“Mmhmm.”

 

“Anyway, would you look at that a marvel of technology, I have a text message.” Max said as he flipped open his phone. “Huh.”


	13. Isaac is Considered Elderly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kiddos hang out for a while longer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya, just a heads up, I finished the story, and will be posting the final chapters tomorrow! It's been fun, and if I get some requests, there may be a sequal in me somewhere. Thank you so much for reading!!

“Anyway, would you look at that a marvel of technology, I have a text message.” Max said as he flipped open his phone. “Huh.”

 

“What is it?” Ed asked peering a the the screen.

 

“Spender wants the Activity portion of the Activity Jang to meet in the woods where the train used to be.” Max shrugged.

 

“Now? I’m not even done with my ice cream!”

 

“Not now, Ed, at like nine.”

 

“You could have said nine, you know.”

 

“I got infected with Isaac’s dramatic pause.”

 

“I’ll zap you to death.”

 

“By all means go ahead.”

 

“Max what did we say about wishing for death.” Ollie asked, pointing his spoon at Max.

 

“Don’t admit it outloud?”

 

“Max!”

 

It was MomFriend Ollie’s job to keep Izzy out of legal trouble for fighting a water fountain again, to keep Ed from feeling left out or ignored, and to keep Stephen from staying awake for too long working on his latest conspiracy. Ollie also fought whomever dared use the wrong pronouns for RJ, kept Johnny’s reckless behaviour to a minimum, made sure Isaac got a chance to vent occasionally, and kept Max from becoming too utterly self destructive and cynical to function like a human, and limit him to a few minor death wishes a week. Ollie was actually kind of the best once you got to know him.

 

“Sorry, jeez.”

 

“Our favorite nerd’s gotta stick around.” Johnny said as he flicked the remainder of his popsicle at Max.

 

“Watch it!”

 

“Plus we wanna see how insanely short you are as an adult.” Izzy reminded him.

 

“I’m not even the shortest person here-”

 

“/I thought we decreed that whoever mentions my height is immediately denounced and killed./” RJ signed, eyebrow raised at Max.

 

“I was talking about Ed!”

 

“/You better have been, or else death./”

 

“RJ I have seen the carnage that results when someone mentions anything about your height, what kind of a fool do you take me for?”

 

“A foolish one.” Johnny informed him.

 

“The fooliest.” Ed said.

 

“Fooligan.” Isaac added.

 

“A fooligan.” Stephen said.

 

“Oh would you look at the time, it’s Time To Stop.” Max said, pretending to glance at a watch he didn’t have.

 

“What time even is it?”

 

“Six thirty,” Johnny siad. “Meanin’ we’ve got some time ta kill.”

 

“And you do so adore killing things.” Max replied.

 

“More like he adores you.” Izzy mumbled into her ice cream.

 

“‘ _Scuse me_?” Johnny hissed.

 

“ANYWAY,” Ed said. “You guys up for some video games?”

 

“Sounds cool man.” Stephen nodded with RJ.

 

“I gotta head home, it’s pasta night.” Ollie said.

 

“You don’t just eat pasta on a monday.” Ed told him.

 

“Sure you do,” Max said.

 

“Max, you eat either pizza or microwaveable macaroni every night, you are in no way allowed to add to this conversation.”

 

“You know what-”

 

“Is it Fettuccine Alfredo?” Isaac asked. “Because I feel like that’s an exception.”

 

“Fair,” Ed replied.

 

“Or lasagna, because I don’t think that counts.” Izzy said.

 

“Also fair.” Ollie stood, grabbed his bag, and said his farewells as he began to walk home.

 

“Heya Mux, do you have any idea what’s happenin’ because I don’t have’a clue.”

 

“No idea my guy.”

 

“Wanna launch sugar packets at the elderly?” Johnny asked after a pause.

 

“Or, we could launch sugar packets at Isaac.”

 

“Ain’t that what I said?”

 

“Hey!” Isaac shouted, just before being pelted with paper containers of sweetener.

 

“Prepareth to die, these sugar packets beith lethal.” Johnny said as he flung more packets.

  
“I am literally going to scream.”

 

“So’s the cashier, we should probably start running now.” Max said, grabbing his backpack. And pulling Johnny to his feet. The cashier began storming out of the ice cream shop’s booth. Looks like video games weren’t going to be happening.

 

“Scatter!”

 

The kids ran off in different directions, sprinting away from the shop to avoid death by teenaged wrath. The group reunited at the park.

 

“Why are you two literally the most chaotic things on the planet?” Isaac asked, still pulling sugar packets out of his jacket and hair.

 

“I’d peg Max as Chaotic neutral, and Johnny as Chaotic evil.” Stephen said.

 

“/Ed’s neutral good, Izzy’s neutral good, and Isaac’s Chaotic good./” RJ signed.

 

“Stephen is Chaotic neutral, Ollie's Chaotic good, and RJ’s Chaotic Chaotic.” Max said.

 

“That’s not a thing Max.”

 

“Ed, are you saying I’m wrong?”

 

“I smash binaries of all kinds, Edward” RJ broke silence to say.

 

“Valid.” Stephen said.

 

“So we’ve killed like, 98 percent of the time we have until whatever Mr. Spender wants, should we start heading over to the edge of town?” Izzy asked, glancing at her phone.

 

“Sounds cool, Stephen, if we die, you’re in charge of covering my shift at the store.” Max said.

 

“Fine, but you gotta haunt the store and make me one of you weirdos.”

 

“See ya tomorra guys!” Johnny called as they parted ways. RJ saluted and turned to sign something to Stephen as the two walked toward their respective houses.


	14. Into The Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exposition time fellas

“So any theories on the impromptu meeting?” Isaac asked, hands in his pockets.

 

“I bet a dollar it’s got something to do with Max and his dramatic brainfriend.” Izzy said.

 

“I hope not because he said he’d tell us tomorrow so that means this is going to be bad.”

 

“What if Spender got Hijacked again?” Ed asked

 

“Doubt.”

 

“Why Doubt Isaac?”

 

“Because Hijack’s still in that puppet Izzy made him.”

 

“We don’t speak of that Isaac.” Izzy said curtly.

 

“Maybe he wants us ta fight somethin’ for him?” Johnny said.

 

“You hope he wants us to fight something.”Max replied.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Whatever it is, I hope it doesn’t take too long, I have a math test tomorrow.” Isaac groaned.

 

“Old man needs sleep.” Izzy said.

 

“Elderly boy has never heard of caffeine.” Ed said.

 

“Senile old man forgets about the powers of sleep deprivation.” Max snorted.

 

“Max I will punch you.” Isaac said.

 

“Hey, that’s my line, dweebus.” Johnny said.

 

“Not anymore, brainiac,” Isaac told him.

 

“It was one time!”

 

“You still had a one hundred, even without the mistake Ms. Baxter made.”

 

“I deeply value my education.”

 

“Great, well while you two argue, I’m going into the spooky dark forest with Izzy and Ed so have fun.” Max said, moving in front of Johnny and Isaac.

 

“Later dorks.” Izzy called.

 

“We’re coming, jeez.” Isaac said as he and Johnny jogged to catch up with their friends.

 

“Slow your horses, m’feet’re tired.”

 

“Johnny, that’s not  a saying.”

 

“Is now, nerd.”

 

“Alright, so who knows the way to the ghost train’s old spot?”

 

“Literally everyone except you and Johnny.” Isaac said.

 

“Just clarifying.” The group continued on in relative silence, occasionally broken by a joke or complaint about hiking- Isaac was not an outdoorsman.

 

“I hate the woods.”

 

“Wow, I had no idea.” Max replied, swatting away a mosquito.

 

“It’s so humid and gross though!” 

 

“Dontchu have weather powers?” Johnny asked.

 

“Uh, yeah, but I can’t control humidity!”

 

“Shouldn’t you still be able to withstand the outdoors a little though?” Max asked.

 

“Well I’ve started to have to considering 90 percent of missions have been in the flipping woods lately.”

 

“We had to chase down a spirit in a shopping mall last week.” Ed reminded him.

 

“Yeah and it ended up fleeing where?” Isaac asked. “Oh Yeah! Here!”

 

“That one’s fair.” Izzy said.

 

“Are we almost there, m’feet’re sore.” Johnny groaned, flailing his arms.

 

“Yeah, just over this mini-hill thing.” Ed said.

 

“Good.” The group walked toward the clearing where Spender was evidently waiting, sunglasses gleaming in the moonlight.

 

“So what’s exactly is this about?” Izzy asked.

 

“And will I be punchin’ anything?” Johnny added.

 

“If we’re fortunate, violence will be unnecessary.” Spender said, adjusting his sunglasses. “And to answer your question Isabel, this is about Max’s spirit.”

 

“I called it, where’s my prize?” Max deadpanned. “Good news bad news, or extra bad news?”

 

“Bad news, I’m afraid.”

 

“Lovely.”

 

“So what exactly are we here for?” Isaac asked.

 

“Well, I would like to test a theory and confirm what I know is most likely true.” Spender said. “As Isabel and Maxwell know, I am the medium of a dangerous shadow based spirit.”

 

“Why don’t we know about this?” Isaac asked, gesturing to Johnny, Ed, and himself.

 

“I didn’t mean for Isabel and Maxwell to discover that information, but the spirit made an appearance during a spirit fusion during the fight at the spirit train. “Spender paused for a moment. “I asked them not to share that with you and for good reason.”

 

“So what’s th’reason?” Johnny asked.

 

“This particular spirit is extremely dangerous, and one of my closest guarded secrets.” Spender said.

 

“So why tell us now?”

 

“Well Isaac, this spirit was an odd case. You know that in rare instances it is possible for a spirit to break of into two or more pieces when it’s form is destroyed.”

 

“Oh man.”

 

“Ed, I agree. Oh man.” Max groaned.

 

“What?” Isaac and Johnny asked at the same time, but Johnny’s face remain contorted in confusion as realization struck Isaac.

 

“The spirit I play medium to is the larger piece of the one that Max is medium of.”

 

“Ohhhhhh.” Johnny said. “OHHHHH- Wait that’s bad right?”

 

“Yes.”

  
“Okay then, why’re we all here’n how can we help?” Johnny asked. Spender allowed himself to be surprised for a split second before moving on.

 

“I want to be completely sure that we’re dealing with the spirit  believe we are, so I’m going to have Maxwell connect to his spirit as I connect to mine, and if they are twins, so to speak, then they should physically manifest, hopefully in a pacified state.”

 

“And if they’re not peaceful?” Isabella asked.

 

“Then you are to pacify them.” Spender told the group grimly. “Maxwell, are you willing to do this? I understand that meeting your spirit rattled you.” Max hesitated, and then nodded.

 

“Not like I’ve got any plans tonight.”

 

“Did we ever do that homework?” Ed wondered aloud.

 

“Oh well.” Johnny said, shrugging.


	15. This Was a Terrible Idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did we ever do that homework?” Ed wondered aloud.
> 
> “Oh well.” Johnny said, shrugging.

“Alright, let’s just- let’s just get this over with.” Max interrupted, arms out. “I just do what I did earlier today?”

 

“That’s the idea.” Spender replied. “As we both connect to the spirits, they’ll recognize that their sibling is nearby and manifest in a way we, or rather they, will be able to see.”

 

“Alright, let’s do it then.” Max said, and closed his eyes. Spender reached out to the part of his mind he kept on lock down at almost all times, ignoring Lucifer’s warnings against accessing it in front of the children.

 

Max shuddered as he felt the ground shift, morphing into the somewhat nightmarish amalgamation of his homes. He glanced upward nervously, expecting the creature he now knew to be a part of Spender’s shadow creature to be already looming above him, but to his surprise, there was nothing, only a patchy, gray sky and steel buildings jutting up from the ground like spikes.

 

“Hmm.” max voice was no longer swallowed up by the void like being, bouncing freely off of the structures surrounding him. Max moved forward, looking, albeit reluctantly, for the spirit.

 

He passed a statue with spikes that his mother made, the one she claimed was one of her favorites, but it was made almost unrecognizable, warped and dented, just like it had been when-

 

Max shook his head. Thinking about it right now would only wreck his chances at being level headed when he confronted his spirit. If he could find the thing, anyway.

 

Max continued searching.

 

* * *

“Uh, are they supposed to be under for that long?” Ed asked, gesturing at Spender and Max, both standing still in their respective dazes.

 

“I guess it’s taking a while.” Izzy replied, but when Isaac took a step forward to check on the two spectrals, they jolted to life, moving jointed and sharp. Max’s eyes opened, glowing an unearthly white.

 

“Maxamillion?” Johnny asked. “Yer eyes seem ta be doin’ something weird.”

 

“Okay so I think that means he’s made contact.” Ed said.

 

“Then where’s the thingies?” Johnny’s question was answered as pitch black appendages stretched out from both Spender and Max. “Oh.”

 

The shadow limbs thrashed outward toward the group, a void consuming the grass and parts of the clearing, while some remained closer to Max and Spender, wrapping around their wrists like marionette strings.

 

The strings suddenly were pulled taught, both spectrals arms now stretched to the sides. A fearful glance upward from the kids revealed that the string connected to two pieces of a blackened sun, frowning down at them.

 

“I hate that, I so hate that.” Izzy hissed, drawing up to her full height. The four watched in an awed horror as the to pieces of the spirit connected like a pair of macabre puzzle pieces.

 

“Something tells me that isn’t good?” Isaac asked rather than said as the shadowy tendrils thrashed more and more violently.

  
  


* * *

 

“Okay, where are you?” Max called out, still shivering at the way his voice rang back at him several times over before fading. Max had been unable to locate the spirit that had been so extremely prominent only hours earlier. “I’m starting to think you don’t like me.”

 

Max continued to walk the seemingly endless streets of what he’d begun to call Mayborough, occasionally muttering to himself or calling out to the mysterious spirit he was host to.

 

“Hello?” Max asked again after what felt like twenty minutes. “Anyone?”

 

* * *

 

Spender glanced around the empty classroom, dust settling where he’d been pacing. It was evident that  _ it  _ was not here, or Spender would be busy trying to keep it from escaping, and it was also becoming abundantly clear that he would be unable to leave until  _ it  _ returned.

 

He hoped that the kids were okay.

 

* * *

 

“Max, can you hear us?!” Isaac yelled, jumping backward as another shadow appendage slammed onto the ground, inches from where Johnny was standing only moments ago.

 

“C’mon Mux, Wake up and smell the daisies!” Johnny shouted, just before Spender began to advance as well. “Don’t think I won’t fight you too, teach!”

 

But the two possessed spectrals were unreachable, the only indication they were still even alive was the slight movement they made when breathing and the occasional twitch.

 

“How do we stop them?” Ed asked as he fended off a shadow tendril with a painted shield and spear.

 

“Mr. Spender said to pacify them.” Izz replied. “So, let’s pacify them.”

 

“We can’t just hurt them though!” Isaac said.

 

“I never said that, dweebling, but I am already halfway done with a plan so shut up and keep dodging.”


	16. Guerra Means War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izzy is good at everything, take it from me.

Max was lost. Hopelessly, helplessly, lost. There was no way Mayborough was this big, he’d climbed one of the buildings and the city had a clear stopping point, but it seemed that the farther he walked, the more lost Max became.

 

It was eerily silent too, no birdsong, no cars, not even wind whistled through the odd city. It was almost maddening, to be perfectly honest, and Max had never wanted to be away from anywhere like he wanted to be away from the nightmare realm he’d seen as a somewhat pleasant oddity hours before. And Max had been trying to escape, he’d done exactly as he had when the spirit was bearing down on him in the clubroom, but it was to no avail. Max briefly considered going into the buildings, but he’d opened a door to a building that looked like his old house in baxborough, and heard the screeching of tires and immediately slammed it shut.

 

C’mon, think.” He said to himself, and heard himself say again and again before the words grew soft. Max couldn’t even tell if there was an echo anymore, or if it was just himself.

 

He hoped his friends could get him out of this.

 

* * *

 

 

“Plan? Izzy? Soon?” Ed yelped.

 

“Retreat and deliberate!” Izzy said, and her three friends fell back, into a patch of moonlight that the spirits seemed reluctant to follow them into.

 

“Okay Izzbizz, what’s the plan?” Johnny asked, glancing back at Max and Spender, worry etched onto usually laid back features.

 

“Well, this thing is a shadow based spirit, right?”

 

“Right.” Isaac ndded.

 

“So, I was trying to remember how Mr. Spender reined it in after it escaped at us, and it was because he used light from his tool.” Isabel said, making eye contact with each club member. “We use enough light, and it should at least subdue these suckers.”

 

“No offense, but I don’t think my phone’s flashlight is gonna do much against those.” Isaac said.

 

“Yeah, not all by itself, but we have two mediums who can both produce at least some light.” Izzy said. “And this won’t be harming the spirits, just making them less happy with their surroundings.” She reassured Isaac, who seemed hesitant about fighting.

 

“Since when are you such a good battle strategist?” Ed asked Izzy, grinning.

 

“I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, Guerra, it means war.” Izzy replied.

 

“Okay, so anime and I sparkle at the baddies, what’re you two gonna be doing?” Johnny asked.

 

“Distracting said baddies?” Ed asked.

 

“Yep, now, let’s do this.” Isabel and Ed darted forward, attracting the attention of the now connected pieces of spirit, Max and Spender turning with it.

 

“So do we have a attack plan?” Isaac asked Johnny.

 

“Yeah,” Johnny said. “Attack.”

 

“Fair.” Isaac replied, training his phone’s flashlight at and sending a lightning bolt toward the spirit, causing it to shrink back.

 

Johnny took a less graceful approach, sprinting at the spirit and it’s two prisoners while both on fire and screaming. Isaac doesn’t know which caused the spirit to flinch more. Johnny stopped short of Max and Mr. Spender, careful not to burn them accidentally.

 

The attacks seemed to be working, Ed and isabel successfully bobbing and weaving through the shadow tendrils, although escaping narrowly with scrapes and soon-to-be bruises at times. The appendages that dared draw near to Johnny or Isaac either lashing out and regretting it or shrinking away. Johnny wiped blood away from his nose, where a shadow protuberance had fled from the light Isaac created straight to ward Johnny’s face.

 

Fortunately, all the damage being taken by the four children was worth it, the spirit began to split at the seam it had connected from, making an awful noise and chanting in a language that none of them could understand.

 

“Can we shut those things up?” Isaac asked, gritting his teeth. “Hard to aim lighting with eldritch horrors chanting at you!”

 

“Grit n’ grace Isaac, work through th’eldritch distaction!” Johnny yelled, sending more concentrated blasts of fire toward but not directly at the spirits.

 

“Big finish you two!” Izzy yelled, throwing a rock across the spirits field of vision. Johnny and Isaac looked at one another. Both were now running on fumes, the energy of the bursts of fire and lightning wearing on the children, but Johnny glanced up at max, eyes still glowing and expressionless, and wore the same expression he had when hen was about to do something really, really stupid.

 

Johnny ran to the treeline, and grabbed some sticks just large enough that a dog could carry them without it being comical. His gaze then shifted back to Isaac, and Johnny nodded once, signaling for Isaac to prep his last batch of lightning. Isaac turned away, and didn’t see Johnny tossing some of the sticks to Izzy and Ed, lighting them like torches. Isaac to his credit, learned a new skill in the form of ball lightning. It took so much out of him he almost collapsed, but Isaac had a now sizeable ball of pure light and electricity, crackling at his fingertips.

 

Isaac fired the lightning, and as he did, Johnny set the sticks, and himself ablaze, so scorching that his flames were almost white, and reverting back to his original tactic of running toward the spirit, now turned spirits, and screaming, but he didn’t stop this time, forcing the spirits to pull backward, right into a moonlit clearing.

 

The concentrated lightning combined with the impromptu torches and moonlight combined with the inferno that now was Johnny Jhonny as just enough to burn back the angrily thrashing shadow appendages, the spirits screeched and groaned, sinking down like a pair of twisted half-sunsets into their respective hosts as the flames dimmed and flickered out. No longer being held up by the apparitions of strings, both Spender and Max were unceremoniously dropped onto the ground, the glow fading from Max’s, and most likely Mr. Spender’s eyes. The four spectrals still standing rushed over to their fallen teacher and classmate, Johnny being closest dropped to his knees, partially from exhaustion and partially to pull Max up into a sitting position, and Isaac and Isabel did the same for Spender.

 

“Are they okay?” Ed asked, kneeling next to Isabel and Isaac.

 

“Max?” Johnny breathed as his no longer puppeted friend stirred, blinking almost groggily and staring up at Johnny, a few stray tears gathering up in his eyes.”You okay nerd?” Max didn’t realize how great it would be to see another living person, especially if it was-

 

“Johnny-” Johnny had seen Max cry before. It was a rare thing, always denied afterward, and only a select few had witnessed it, but it always managed to shake him to his core. But these tears are gone as soon as they appear, hastily wiped away as Max tugs his hat down to block any view of his eyes. “M’fine.”

 

“Is everyone alright?” Spender asked, glancing at his pupils. A few affirmations reassured him, and he stood, brushing the dust from his clothes. “Alright, let’s get you kids home, we’ll discuss this further when everyone’s not as worn out.”

 

Spender offered a ride to the kids, not wanting them to walk home alone in the dark, and the five kids piled into Spender’s car, unsurprisingly, they were groggy and half asleep by the time they reached their respective homes.

 

 

Spender supposed he could push back the due date on the homework.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has been fun to write so far, and I'm really appreciative of all the support I've received, comments and constructive criticisms are always welcome!


	17. Trueheart Forever Boys Feelings Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny gets an uplifting talk from his Trueheart forever boys

The next day, the activity club met in the morning just after Ed and Isabel finished morning patrol, reviewing the previous night’s events, and trying to snatch Mr. Spender’s coffee.

 

“We thought it was a good idea to put two most likely evil spirits together why?” Max asked.

 

“I was unaware they’d react so violently.“ Spender replied, holding his cup just out of Ed’s reach. “My original theory was that the two halves would be so preoccupied with one another that they would ignore anything else.”

 

“That, and we didn’t know if they were from the same spirit or not.” Isabel added. 

 

“So what d’we do ‘bout them?” Johnny asked.

 

“At the moment, nothing. The combination took a lot of their energy, and being defeated sapped most of the rest.” Mr. Spender said.

 

“So that’s it?” Isaac asked. “What keeps it from happening again?”

 

“If we can keep Max’s portion of the spirit to a relatively low energy level, everything should be fine.” Spender said, finishing off is coffee. “Class is starting soon, you five better get to your homerooms, and we'll discuss more later, alright?.”

 

The five dispersed, and Johnny caught up with RJ, Steven, and Ollie.

 

“/What happened?/” RJ asked.

 

“Spirit thingies possessed Max n’the teach, and we had to like, blast em’ with light n’stuff.” Johnny replied. Stephen looked at him quizzically for a moment before flicking Johnny on the forehead.

 

“He’s got somethin’ on his mind.” Stephen announced.

 

“No I don’t!” Johnny exclaimed. His friends stared at him. “Maybe a little but-”

 

“Okay, operation knickknack paddywack is a go.” Ollie interrupted. RJ ushered Johnny to their homeroom, and informed the teacher that Johnny was sick, so they were taking him to the nurse. Ollie and Stephen did the same, and the four met up below the stairs.

 

“C’mon guys- we’re gonna miss first period” Johnny huffed to Stephen and Ollie as RJ carried him over their shoulder.

 

“Johnny Jhonny, you are acting strangely, and the Jang has not had a trueheart forever boys feelings hole in at least three weeks.” Stephen said.

 

“So we’re gonna talk out whatever it is that’s got you so down that you’re not even going into details about a fight.” Ollie said. RJ plopped Johnny onto the ground as gently as they could, taking a seat next to him as Stephen and Ollie did the same.

 

“What’s going on, man?” RJ asked aloud.

 

“I- nothin- it’s...I- I don’t-”

 

“Calm down buddy, we gotcha.” Stephen said. “Just talk your way through, remember?”

 

“It’s just, all the tussles we’ve gotten inta,” Johnny began, looking at the ground. “Me n’you guys, I mean- it was never- I never thought one’a us were gonna end up  _ dying,  _ but it- it’s not like that b’cause nonatha things we fight are people, they don’t care about any of us livin’ or dyin’ or gettin’ hurt-.”

 

“Did something happen to you during last night?” RJ asked, their silence broken once more.

 

“No- I mean, not to me, but when we finally got the Teach and the ner...Max back from the ghost things.” Johnny paused. “It was like Max never expected to see me- to see  _ anybody _ , ever again. And it got me thinkin’, what if i don’t make it, or  _ Max _ doesn’t make it, or anybody doesn’t make it, and I never got ta say or do all the things I’d meant t’do? ‘Nd I guess it… I guess it rattled me some.”

 

“So what can you do about it?” Ollie asked.

 

“Huh?”

 

“What can you do to make it not like that?”

 

“I don’t...I don’t think there’s anything I can do, buddy.” Johnny replied grimly, just before RJ and Stephen flicked him. “Hey!”

 

“That’s coward talk, Johnny.” Stephen scolded. “Get it together!”

 

“There is no can’t do anything, punch that idea.” RJ told Johnny, quoting the lead singer of Insolent Children.

 

“We been over the fact that we’re all gonna go someday.” Ollie said. “And if you’re out there doin’ freakshow hero ghost stuff-”

 

“Then you need to do all the things you mean to do right when you mean to do them.” Stephen finished. Johnny stared at his friends, half in awe, half in understanding, and smiled.

 

“You guys’re the best.”

 

“/We know./” RJ signed. “And remember. Do it before you can’t.” Johnny nodded, spirits lifting and expression shifting into something more like the one he usually wore.

“Starting today, here and now, I, the Johnniest of Jhonny’s, am gonna be makin’ sure that if I get got by a spooker- and I won’t, but if I do, I will have been gotten fulfilled.” Johnny announced triumphantly, leaping to his feet.

 

“/There he is./” RJ signed, their smile visible beneath their hood.

 

“Atta boy,” Stephen said. “Now, let’s get t’class. Tonight we're watching all of the new horror movies my brother got until we pass out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter's going to be the last one, I'm really excited!! I'm so glad you guys have taken the time to read this, and I look forward to hearing what you think!! Thank you so much for reading!!!


	18. Get It Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been really fun writing this! Can't wait to hear what you think, thank you so much for the support! Feel free to comment and tell me your thoughts on it!!

Max was jittery that day for sure, but he was also too tired to feel the entirety of the jitters, but it appeared that ohnny, an endless well of energy, was just as jumpy as Max that day, as Max had barely seen him at all that day, catching him dart into Mr. Spender’s room just before the class that had jump-started their friendship, and returning just as the bell rang.

 

“Maximus, my favorite nerd.”

 

“Johnathan, my favorite pencil dartboard.” Max replied, referring to their game of Pencil darts that resulted in about twelve pencils stuck in Johnny’s hair, and two hours of detangling.

 

“Low blow, shorty.”

 

“You suggested it, Red.”

 

“Maybe so but you cheated.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Uh, yup.”

 

The rest of the class went smoothly, Johnny and Max’s banter punctuating the silence or boredom of sitting in a classroom, the time flew by, and soon it was time to meet up with the rest of the club.

 

* * *

 

_ Do it before you can’t, do it before you can’t do it- _ Johnny’s mind was racing as he and Maz walked the hallways on the afternoon patrol. He’d ran in and asked Spender to assign it to them, informing the teacher he wanted to talk to Max.

 

“I’m so upset it’s such a slow day, I totally have tons of energy and would love to fight some spirits.” Max groaned sarcastically as he and Johnny finished off a spirit, grabbing the tool it created.

 

“M’pretty sure that was the last of em’ for today anyway.” Johnny said. “But uh, before we head back, I- I wanted ta tell’ya somethin’.”

 

“What’s up dude?” Max asked, stopping next to Johnny, easel that the spirit had possessed in hand.  _ Do it before you can’t do it before you can’t! _

 

“Well, uh- I um.” Johnny sucked in a deep breath. “I was thinkin earlier-”

 

“Unusual”

 

“Oh hush ya dork,” Johnny laughed. “But seriously. I was thinkin that there’s the chance that one’a these days, I might not come outta one of these weirdo ghost fights.”

 

“What do you mean?” Max asked.

 

“I mean, there’s the chance we- me, you, anyone- could die. And the Jang talked me through it, and I’ve decided that uh, if there’s the chance of that, then I don’t wanna go out regrettin’ anything I didn’t get t’do.”

 

“I think I see where you’re coming from.” Max said before asking. “What is this about?”  _ Do it before you can’t. Get it together, Johnny! _

 

“I wanted t’tell ya that-” Johnny almost groaned aloud at how mushy and feelingsy he was being. “Listen, Mux, I think yer awesome, ‘nd I like you like, a whole lot, like, y’know,  _ like  _ like or whatever and I’d totally punch every snake in th’United States of America for you, and RJ says do it before I can’t, and-  _ andIwaswonderingifmaybeyoulikemetoo _ ?” Johnny didn’t what he was waiting for. A laugh? A sneer? The one thing Johnny didn’t expect was for Maxwell Puckett to throw his arms around Johnny.

 

“Tha-t was the most Johnny thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Max told him, laughing.

 

“So’s that a yeah?”

 

“You’re the biggest moron I know, yes it was, yes I do, you absolute imbecile.”

 

“I’ll still fight you.” Johnny said, and Max felt the heat radiating off of Johnny like a furnace.

 

“Of course you will.”


End file.
